Disengagement is lowering the profitability and viability of accounting firms across the country – but there are some simple ways to start re-engaging your employees, according to staffing issues expert Sandra Wiley.

The economy added a surprisingly robust 271,000 jobs in October, including 3,400 jobs in accounting and bookkeeping services, sending the unemployment rate down one-tenth of a percent to 5.0 percent, the lowest rate in seven years.

Around 70 percent of your firm’s staff are either coasting or are actively disengaged from their jobs, according to staffing issues expert Sandra Wiley -- and some of that may be your fault.

An old diagnosis of incompetence needs some updates

As the accounting profession ages, firms of all sizes are learning that the best way to ensure that there will be a next generation of leaders is to develop them yourself.

How to develop young staff without them heading for the door

Once you’ve shown your staff the path to success at your firm, you need to start helping them walk that path, with resources and guidance.

Employers added 182,000 jobs in the private sector last month, according to payroll giant ADP, although there were slowdowns in some areas, including professional and business services and among large companies.

Small businesses continued to hire more workers last month, but the pace of job growth is slackening, according to a new report.

All too many firms fail to offer employees a clear career path – and that’s a clear incentive to seek employment elsewhere.

It’s getting harder and harder for firms to differentiate themselves, so they need to take every chance to reinforce their unique qualities.

The need to fill an open position can sometimes be so strong that firms are willing to take any warm body – but one of the keys to long-term retention is to spend a little more time in the hiring process.

Consider some of the things our profession is doing that might be restricting younger people from advancing.

While some accounting firms are building better workplaces by surveying their employees, others are doing it by sending information back the other way.

Congratulations, you have posted that job opening to LinkedIn, CareerBuilder and every other website (or headhunter) you could conceivably think of. Now consider taking it down! Why?

When it comes to find ways to make your firm more attractive to employees, it makes sense to go straight to the horse’s mouth and ask your employees themselves.

Welcome to 20 Days to a Better Firm! In this series of short daily articles, we’ll aim to show you how to make your practice a more attractive place for recruits and a place where current employees are more likely to stay.

ADP reported a pickup in wage growth for the private sector during the third quarter of the year, especially among younger workers switching jobs.

Let’s face it. Whether we are talking about water (especially in California), oil or time, we are all unfortunately limited by the resources available at our disposal.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, people who are dealing with issues outside of your office not only struggle to provide value from their role, but they inadvertently interrupt the value provided by your entire organization. There is a story whirling around the college football arena about this exact issue.